Kai Tak cruise papers studied
Developers and cruise operators yesterday began studying government plans to redevelop the site of the former Kai Tak airport to include a cruise terminal .
A spokesman for Star Cruises said it was studying the tender documents and could not comment on the tendering exercise. 'We are very supportive of the government on this issue,' he said. The tender process opened yesterday.
Star Cruises operates the 1,287-passenger Star Pisces, the Wasa Queen with room for 608 guests and the SuperStar Aquarius, which can accommodate 1,529.
Spokesmen for developers Sun Hung Kai Properties and Henderson Land Development also said they were busy studying the project.
The deadline for the tender is March 7 and the government expects to award it in the second quarter of next year.
The first berth is scheduled to be commissioned by February 2012.
The successful bidder will be subject to a 50-year service agreement that specifies certain requirements. They include seeking government approval for any changes in the project team members during the initial stages and organising a market forum to promote Hong Kong as a regional cruise hub.
It is the first time the government has put the new cruise terminal project up for tender. In 2005, during the Kai Tak Planning Review, expressions of interests were invited for the development of a new cruise terminal at a location other than Kai Tak, resulting in six submissions. They were rejected due to technical difficulties.
The new Kai Tak terminal will feature a cruise terminal building for hotels, convention halls, offices, shops and dining areas totalling not more than 50,000 square metres. There will also be about 30,000 square metres of space for baggage handling, passenger waiting and queuing, customs, immigration and a health quarantine area.
